Redemption

[Clouds_Lover]

Again another story that I came across on. It was mainly written by my friend, Taellan (his EQ character) but I was his muse. I'd come with ideas and he wrote. He was very talented, it's a shame that I lost contact with him.

The story was rather popular with EQ folks in FF.net but I lost contact after the 5th chapter. There was much more to come but without him it wasn't the same. Enjoy the first 5 chapters.

 

[Clouds_Lover]

Ch1-

Fog cloaked the unnaturally still waters of the Ocean of Tears. The unsettling vapor seemed to distort and conceal everything it touched. A sleek boat slowly glided across dark murky water, its bow lightly dipped into the water as it drifted along the waves. Six wood elves, lined in a strategic formation, peered out into the blackness of the ocean. Rain began to fall from the darkened clouds as one of the elves finally spoke.

“There . . .” a teal armor clad elf whispered to her members, pointing forward, “There they are.”

Another elf whispered, “If he’s with them, we may not stand a chance.”

The first elf let out a soft laugh, “If he’s with them, I shall let him meet my bow.” She held up her Stonewood bow, her lips curled into a smile.

“Milady, he is like no other necromancer. He has killed dozens of our finest men. A simple ranger like yourself cannot even attempt to face him. This is, after all, your first time on an important mission for the Scouts of Tunare.” A noble warrior within the group reminded her.

“I’m ready for anything; Heartwood Master has taught me everything he knows, not to mention I have gained a few tricks from more experienced rangers in Kelethin. We can certainly deal with these dark elves.” The ranger nocked an arrow into her bow, aiming towards their target.

***

“You are sure?” a growling voice asked, “Hmm, so they’ve finally arrived.”

“Yes . . .” a voice answered, “Six of them.”

Pale purple eyes glinted in the grey light, a smirk forming on the figure’s darkened lips. He ran a hand through his silver hair, his excitement rising.

“Good, time for some fun then.” His ear twitched to the sound of a bow’s string being pulled back. There was an uncanny silence except for the groans of the boat. Suddenly a sharp cry escaped from one of the members.

“T—Taellan.” A female dark elf mumbled, just before falling back into the lap of a male warrior, dead.

Taellan brushed his cheek with his hand, feeling warm blood on his fingertips where the arrow grazed him. His pale eyes darkened as he turned around, tearing the arrow from his fallen comrade’s chest and examining it closely.

“Only a true warrior could slay one of us like that. Such speed!” his voice hissed as he cast an identification spell on the arrow. His vision sharpened as soon as his incantation was complete.

He saw a female wood elf standing at the prow of the other boat, a grin on her face. She was clad in teal chain armor, a bow in one hand. Her other hand shielded her eyes from the rain as she squinted, trying to see if she had hit her mark.

“Nothing more than a child!” he chuckled to himself despite the fact that he was not much older than she, “I shall take pleasure in killing her last.”

A dark elf warrior, holding the female’s corpse, muttered. “That was our cleric.”

Taellan stared at the corpse of the slain cleric, no remorse in his eyes. “Never mind that! We do not need a cleric for a couple of wood elves… especially that ranger; she is full of fear and won’t last for a second.” he snapped. His eyes roamed over the three remaining dark elves on the ship with him, silently compelling them to prepare for battle.

The storm began to intensify as the dark elven ship slowly approached the wood elves. Rain began to slash down diagonally and lightning arced across the sky. The waves began to grow stronger, and the dark elf that was controlling the boat had trouble keeping it on its course.

The group grew silent except for the necromancer, who slowly formed words for another spell as their ship made its way to the group of wood elves.

***

By the time the ships drew nearer, the elven party was set in their formation. The young ranger was in back of the boat, her bow ready with an arrow set. Her thin eyebrows slanted into a fierce look, yet she was afraid. Next was their healer, a wise and well-respected druid, and then a rogue was kneeling in front of the druid. The last three members, a bard and two strong warriors, stood at the bow with their weapons drawn.

The sounds of the storm grew into a deafening roar that made talking impossible.

The fog in the Ocean of Tears thickened unnaturally, cutting off the elves’ sight.

The ranger peered into the raging sea, searching for any signs of the other ship. A puzzled look crossed her face… she had lost their position. The fear she felt began to strengthen and she glanced around at her comrades.

‘I hope I don’t fail them’, she thought. This was her first true mission that had been given to her by the Heartwood Master, and she didn’t want to fail him, either.

A burst of lightning briefly illuminated the turbulent sea, causing the ranger to glance up from her thoughts. She saw one of her warriors gesturing wildly to something off to the side of the boat. He had a crazed look in his eye, and he was trying to shout over the sound of the storm. The ranger watched him, unable to comprehend.

There was another flash of lightning, and the ranger saw what was troubling the warrior. The dark elven boat was careening towards them, clearly out of control. She didn’t have time to brace for impact.

The collision of the two boats threw the ranger off her feet and slammed her against the rail of the boat. The bard gripped her arm and pulled her away from the edge. Loud cracking sounds could be heard as the two boats split into pieces.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she sensed that a great spell was being cast. Suddenly, a noxious green glob came hurtling toward the wood elves, striking one of the warriors in the chest. The sticky glob wrapped around the warrior, dragging him to the deck of the ship.

The ranger watched in horror as the warrior’s armor began to melt. His screams of agony could clearly be heard over the sound of the storm. The screams ended abruptly.

Fear and anger ran through the ranger’s veins, and she quickly readied an arrow. She aimed at a shrouded figure on the dark elven ship, and released. She was rewarded with a faint cry of pain.

A dark, armor plated figure jumped from the dark elven boat and landed a few feet from the ranger. She saw the hatred in his eyes, and her muscles locked with dread. The dark elven warrior rushed towards her, raising a giant axe.

Suddenly the warrior staggered to the ground, a look of surprise on his face. An elven shape appeared behind him. It was the rogue, holding a blood covered dagger.

“Thank me any time, Rikkuu,” he shouted over the noise, flashing a grin and winking.

“Y-Yeah…,” Rikkuu stuttered, fear visible on her face.

The rogue shrugged, not hearing her. He ran to the edge of the boat, searching for more enemies.

The boat began to tilt to the side as it took on water. Rikkuu wondered how much longer the ship could stay afloat. Her knees buckled as she saw the corpse of the bard being tossed by the waves. The bard’s face was distorted and decayed, as if something had sucked the life right out of him.

Rikkuu’s face grew pale and she turned away from the ghastly sight. As she slowly regained her composure, she saw the other three wood elves battling a dark elf shadowknight and a rogue. All of the combatants staggered as waves battered the half-sunk ship. The necromancer was nowhere to be seen.

Rikkuu glanced at the dark elf boat, seeing that it was almost completely sunk. She knew that soon she would be forced to abandon the ship and somehow find a way to swim to land.

A wrenching, heart stopping horror suddenly clenched Rikkuu’s heart. She sensed movement behind her, but she was unable to turn and confront it.

“So… this is the ruthless ranger that killed my most loyal cleric? You can’t even turn to face me?” his cold voice seemed to slide through the noise and into Rikkuu’s ears. She heard soft chanting behind her and knew that her life was about to end.

The chanting stopped abruptly as an enormous wave crashed down on the deck of the ship, hurling Rikkuu into the ocean. She gasped as she was immersed in the cold water and she struggled to swim through the harsh waves.

Rikkuu shut out all worries about her comrades or her mission and focused on trying to swim. She fought against the dark waves until she was drained of energy. She gasped for air and went under the water.

Rikkuu’s world slowly faded to black.  

[Clouds_Lover]

Ch2-

A body spewed out from the raging sea and landed on the barren shore with a harsh thud. The waves continued to batter the body relentlessly. It rose with a jolt revealing its young elven face. It was Rikkuu, her face pale. She gazed around, only to be brought down by another wave. Gasping for air that would not come, she struggled to crawl away from the shore. As soon as she was a safe distance away from the angry sea, she curled into a tight ball, shivering from the freezing rain.

“Where is everyone? ” her young voice stuttered, “Am I the only one left?”

Faint cries of pain rang in her ears from beyond some thick foliage. Rikkuu rose from her spot, her upper lip quivering slightly. For a second she turned around, noticing her stonewood bow buried under the sand. Slowly, she grasped it and pulled her bow out covering herself with clumps of sand. She inspected her bow as she heard another sharp scream of agony.

“W—what is that?!” Rikkuu yelped whirling back around towards the bush, scared stiff.

‘I can do this. If Taellan is still alive, I’ve just got to finish him off. That is my duty!’ she thought creeping along the shore fitting a Blessed Champion Arrow given to her by Heartwood Master into her bow.

******

Taellan looked through rage filled eyes at his last two opponents. The wood elven druid and warrior were the only survivors from the shipwreck, and they were fighting a losing battle against the powerful necromancer.

The warrior stumbled towards Taellan, exhausted from the prolonged fight. Taellan slid sideways away from the warrior, focusing on the druid. The necromancer only had enough mana for one spell, and he needed to make it count.

He saw the druid begin to form the words to a spell, and the air around him crackled with energy. Taellan stopped his sideways shuffle and began to form a spell of his own, whispering arcane words into the pounding rain. The druid’s leather armor ignited in a consuming fire just as the wood elf finished his spell. Lightning arced towards Taellan; slamming against the force shield he had cast to protect himself. The shield faded, and the force from the spell hurled Taellan to the wet sand.

The wood elven warrior, seeing his opportunity, lunged towards the necromancer, his axe raised. Taellan shifted at the last moment, and the axe dug deep into the sand. A glint of steel flickered in Taellan’s hand as he drew his dagger, and with a flick of his hand he buried it into the warrior’s belly. The warrior screamed in agony, and Taellan twisted the blade, letting go.

The warrior fell face-first into the sand. Taellan leaped to his feet, looking for any signs of the druid. He saw a dark lump on the ground where the druid had been, and Taellan approached it slowly. As he drew nearer, he saw a pile of embers still smoldering despite the heavy rain. Taellan sighed in relief; his spell had been enough to finish the druid.

Taellan looked down at the charred corpse, wondering if any of his dark elven companions had survived the shipwreck. He began to shiver in the rain as his adrenaline slowly burned away. His robes were soaked, and he needed to find a place to rest and meditate.

Suddenly, the necromancer’s ears pricked up. He heard a hissing sound… a sound that he had heard earlier in the day…

‘The ranger!’ Taellan thought, his eyes widening.

An unbearable force hurled the necromancer to his knees. Taellan grunted as an excruciating pain seared his lower back. His mind struggled to comprehend what was happening, the pain causing Taellan to lose control. His hands clutched frantically at his back, and he gaped in horror as his fingers touched the shaft of the arrow that was embedded there.

Taellan quickly withdrew his hands, shocked. He raised himself to his feet, hearing soft laughter behind him. He whirled around, facing his enemy. The necromancer saw steely blue eyes glinting through the rain. The ranger’s laughter choked to a stop as she saw the look of horror in Taellan’s eyes.


Rikkuu backed up a step at the amount of agony visible on Taellan’s face. Taellan watched her, his eyes unfocused.

Rikkuu suddenly felt sick. Her stomach churned at seeing the necromancer’s features twisted in pain.

Taellan’s glazed eyes watched her, seeing the feelings of doubt clearly on the ranger’s face. His pain-numbed mind tried to muddle through the situation.

“Finish it, ranger” Taellan hissed. Rikkuu’s gaze dropped to the wet sand, and she slowly drew an arrow.

Fitting the arrow to her bow, Rikkuu aimed at the necromancer and drew back on the string. Taellan’s eyes never left hers.

A moment passed. The rain slashed down on the two figures, lightning causing the scene to be eerily illuminated.

Taellan felt the world slowly begin to spin around him. He had lost an incredible amount of blood, and he didn’t know how much longer he would be conscious.

He grunted as an intense wave of pain radiated from the wound in his back. He lost his balance for a moment, and staggered sideways, attempting to stay on his feet. He didn’t want to be killed while he lay on the ground, helpless.

Taellan regained his balance and glanced back at the wood elf. His vision swam, and he only saw a bleary silhouette. He slowly dropped to his knees, waiting for the ranger’s second arrow to end his life.

The loss of blood finally took its toll on the necromancer, and he toppled over onto the sand, unconscious.

Rikkuu watched the necromancer slip into unconsciousness, and she felt a twinge of pity in her heart. Even though she had watched him slay her kin, something held her back from taking his life.

Her bow dropped to the ground as she approached the necromancer. She saw the arrow protruding grotesquely from his back.

‘I just can’t leave him here . . .’ she thought. Rikkuu grasped the arrow’s shaft and pulled it out from Taellan’s back with a sickening slurp. She took out soaked bandages from her pack which was tied at her side, and somehow remained with her throughout the storm, quickly working to mend the wound.  

[Clouds_Lover]

Ch3-

A small cracking noise entered Taellan’s mind, stirring his rest. Taellan groaned softly, every muscle in his body seemed to be on fire. He heard the cracking noise again. Taellan tried to ignore it, wanting to return to his rest.

The cracking noise was repeated again, louder than before. The necromancer opened his eyes a bit, squinting into the daylight. He observed the situation around him, confused.

He was in a small clearing of what appeared to be a forest, lying in a bed of leaves. Rays of sunlight filtered through the canopy above him, shining down on the mossy, leaf covered ground.

His robe had been removed, and his midsection was swathed in bandages. The bandages were soaked with his blood, but they must have been able to stop the bleeding caused by the arrow.

Taellan’s eyes searched the area, and he found the source of the cracking noise. A female wood elf was breaking medium sized tree branches into smaller pieces. She hadn’t noticed that the necromancer was awake yet.

Taellan’s mind tried to piece together what had happened to him and why he was in this strange place. He remembered being on a boat… being on a mission to get rid of a few wood elves that had been killing his people.

The events replayed in his mind… a boat crash, followed by a frantic swim to an island where he had fought for his life. He remembered a certain ranger…

“The ranger!” he thought. Realization flooded to him.

Taellan’s eyes glued to the ranger’s back, and he shot upright from his prone position. He immediately regretted this decision as excruciating pain flooded his senses. Taellan clutched at his back and gasped, causing the ranger to whirl away from her work and face the necromancer.

Rikkuu grinned slyly at Taellan. “So you finally decided to wake up, huh?” she asked. Taellan just glared at her, not saying anything.

She put her hands on her hips. “Well, you don’t seem to be too grateful… I did save your life, you know. And you certainly didn’t deserve it.”

Taellan laid back slowly, arching an eyebrow at her. “Why did you do it then, if I didn’t deserve it?”

Rikkuu’s face suddenly lost its bright hue, filling with doubt. Her gaze dropped to the ground. “I—I don’t know…” she mumbled.

Taellan eyed her curiously. “I killed your comrades… yet you let me live? Your logic intrigues me, wood elf.”

Rikkuu’s head shot up, looking into the necromancer’s eyes. “I know what you did, necromancer. I don’t need to be reminded of your foul acts.”

“Foul acts?” the necromancer questioned. “If I’m not mistaken, your people were hunting mine. My actions were taken in self-defense.” He grinned. “It seems your little group bit off more than it could chew.”

Rikkuu’s eyes seethed in fury. How could this dark elf be so rude? “You ungrateful, disgusting, dark elf! No wonder everybody hates your kind!” She stomped off into the forest.

Taellan snarled in anger, watching her walk away. He would make her regret ever saving his life.

* * * * *

Rikkuu moved through the forest in a rage, stomping on vegetation and scaring the wildlife away.

“Why did I ever let him live,” she wondered, sighing lightly. She shook her head. Something had kept her from releasing her second arrow and ending the dark elf’s life. She was unsure of what had kept her from killing him.

Rikkuu’s anger slowly began to subside, and she observed her surroundings. She was in part of the dense forest that covered most of the island. She had already explored most of the island while she was waiting for the necromancer to awake, using her keen senses to create a detailed map in her mind.

The ranger saw a berry laden bush to her right, and she knelt down to look at it. She knew that her survival depended on her foraging skills, and she quickly harvested the berries from the bush. Placing the berries into her sack, she glanced around. To the north, she saw a ridge that extended and wrapped around the north side of the island.

She slipped through the forest now, heading towards the ridge. She had been unable to explore that area of the island, so she figured that now was as good a time as any to take a look. She continued to gather edible berries and roots as she traveled.

She neared the ridge and scanned it with her sharp eyes. She focused her eyes on a dark area on the ridge… it looked like some sort of a cave. Rikkuu headed off to explore it.

As she neared the cave, an uneasy feeling began to form in Rikkuu’s stomach. She shrugged off the feeling and approached the entrance of the cave. She stood at the entrance, trying to pierce the darkness inside with her eyes.

A sickening stench began to waft towards Rikkuu. As she began to smell it, the ranger wrinkled her nose. It was the stench of death, and she turned away, disgusted. She sprinted away from the cave, wondering what would cause such an evil smell. The ranger headed towards the camp she had set up to the south.

She entered the camp, carrying her sack full of berries and roots. She stopped, looking for the necromancer. He was nowhere to be seen. She emptied the sack’s contents onto the ground, and began to sort through the food.

Suddenly, magical roots sprang from the ground and encircled Rikkuu’s legs, securing her to the ground. She gasped and looked up, her eyes meeting the necromancer’s determined gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” the ranger cried, shocked.

“You’ve made a few mistakes, wood elf.” He snarled. “The first was letting me live; the second was turning your back on me.” He began to whisper the words to a spell that would end her life.

“This is how you repay those who save your life!?” Rikkuu yelled, wondering how she could interrupt the necromancer’s concentration. She stooped down and picked up a large root that she had foraged and hurled it at the dark elf.

The root hit Taellan in the face, causing him to recoil. The spell fizzled on his hands, and he glared at the ranger.

“You owe me your life, dark elf…” the ranger pleaded.

Taellan knew she was right. He would have died if she hadn’t let him live, but he wasn’t used to being indebted to others.

He dropped his gaze to the ground, muttering to himself. Rikkuu saw the necromancer’s face fill with uncertainty. He was obviously weighing his options. Glancing up at her, he spoke. “Fine, ranger. I’ll return the favor and allow you to live.” He sighed. “Instead of killing you, I’m going to leave this island and let you find your own way out of here.”

“But… you’re alive because of me, the least you could do is help me find a way out of here.” She retorted.

Taellan watched her, upset with himself for not being able to kill her. He began to form the words to a gate spell. The air behind him began to shift as the gate prepared to open.

Suddenly, the power faded from his spell and the gate collapsed. A look of surprise crossed the necromancer’s face, and he began to cast the gate spell again. Rikkuu watched him coldly.

As the spell completed, the gate once again collapsed. The power seemed to be sucked out of the spell just before the gate had opened.

“Something is draining my spell’s power, wood elf.” He looked at her accusingly.

“Don’t look at me.” She said innocently, a grin on her face. Taellan grumbled to himself, giving the gate spell another try. Once again, the power from the spell faded just before the gate opened.

He glanced again at the ranger. “Well, wood elf… it looks like I’m stuck with you for a while.”

Rikkuu grinned, enjoying the necromancer’s uneasiness. “Big bad necro can’t cast a simple spell, huh?”

Taellan scowled at her. He slowly sat on the ground, grimacing in pain. A look of concern passed over the ranger’s face.

“I need to change those.” She told him, eyeing the bandages that wrapped around his back.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” He grunted.

The roots fell from the ranger’s feet, and she walked over the necromancer. Taellan watched her carefully, trying to decipher her intentions. She knelt next to him and looked at his back. Rikkuu extended her index finger and prodded Taellan’s wound.

Taellan jumped to his feet and backed away from the ranger. “Ouch! What the hell are you doing?!” he asked, angry.

Rikkuu, still kneeling on the ground, looked up at him. “It’s gonna hurt a lot more than that when I clean your wound, so you better get used to it.”

“You’re not cleaning anything, wood elf. Leave me alone.” He growled.

“Oh? So you want to die, then? Because if I don’t clean it… it’ll get infected. And if that happens there’s nothing I can do to help.”

Taellan watched her, defiant. Rikkuu held his gaze, and the necromancer sighed, resigned. He walked back over the ranger and sat down.

Rikkuu smirked, victorious. She slowly unwrapped the bandages and inspected the wound. “Hmm…” she said as she poked at the necromancer’s back.

Taellan grunted. “Torturing me, wood elf?” he asked.

“You keep calling me wood elf. Call me Rikkuu, that is my name, after all.” She responded, keeping her eyes on what she was doing.

“I see.” Taellan said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh? What do you see?” Rikkuu responded sarcastically. Taellan blinked at her, wondering how he could find the patience to deal with her.

“Don’t be such a grump… Taellan, right?” she asked, pouring clean water over his back.

“Tough to be civil when I have someone jabbing around at a hole in my back.” He growled. “And how do you know my name?” he questioned.

Rikkuu looked up at him. “You have quite a reputation among my people.”

Taellan gazed off into the trees. He had been responsible for the deaths of countless wood elves. It would make sense that they should know of him.

“Well, all done!” Rikkuu exclaimed. “Now I just need to bandage you back up.”

Taellan sighed as he watched Rikkuu pull a wad of bandages from her sack. He looked up at the sky and noticed that the sun was nearing the horizon. He remembered how long it had been since he had eaten and his stomach grumbled loudly.

“Hmm, when I’m done with this, we’ll be able to eat.” Rikkuu told him.

Taellan perked up a bit, but stayed silent. Rikkuu walked over to him and began to carefully wrap the necromancer’s back. Taellan grimaced as Rikkuu put the final knot on the bandages.

“Where’s the food?” he asked.

Rikkuu gestured to the roots and berries that she had foraged earlier. “Help yourself,” she said.

Taellan’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s the food?” he asked again, agitated. Rikkuu arched an eyebrow at him.

“I’m not a rabbit. I don’t eat that stuff.” He said.

“Well, maybe tomorrow you can go out and get something more suitable to eat instead of scheming about how you’ll try to kill me.” Rikkuu snapped. “But for now, this is what you get to eat.”

“I’m not eating that.” Taellan said.

Rikkuu shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She gathered some of the berries and began to eat them. Taellan watched her in disgust.

“Why don’t you do something useful for a change and get a fire started, it is almost night.” Rikkuu quipped, pointing to the firewood that she had been preparing earlier.

Taellan grumbled, glancing at the wood. He began to chant the words to a spell, and the air around the wood began to shimmer as arcane energy was directed at it. The wood suddenly ignited in violent flames.

The necromancer approached the fire and sat down, watching Rikkuu eat the berries. She stopped after she had eaten half of the food and sat on the other side of the fire.

“Eat them all, wood elf. Don’t worry about me touching them.” Taellan told her, his stomach grumbling again.

Rikkuu just shrugged at him, leaving the other half of the food alone.

“So, Taellan…” the wood elf started. “How do you suggest we get off of this island?”

Taellan watched the flames, distracted. “Tough to say, wood elf. I can’t gate, so I guess we’ll have to find another way out of here. I wonder what’s causing my gate spell’s energy to be drained…” his voiced trailed off as he thought.

“Dunno, but I don’t mind. Now I have someone to talk to, at least.” Rikkuu responded.

Taellan scowled, not thrilled with the idea of hearing the ranger’s voice all day. He decided not to say anything about it, though.

“Well, I suppose we should take a look around this island tomorrow.” He sighed. “Maybe there’s something here we can use to get off this island.”

“Way ahead of you. I’ve already taken a look around.” She described how she had explored the island, mentioning the cave that she had found.

“Hmm, tomorrow we’ll take a look at this cave of yours, then.” He told her. “If you’re up for it, that is.” He challenged.

“Of course I’m up for it! You’re the one that’s hurt, not me!” the ranger grinned.

Taellan glared at her, biting his tongue to keep his sarcastic comment in check.

“We’ll go tomorrow, then.” Rikkuu said. “But you should probably get some rest now. It’s getting late and you need sleep for that wound to heal.”

“And why would you think that I’d feel safe sleeping with you around?” Taellan asked.

“Hey, I saved your life already. If anyone should be cautious, it should be me!” She retorted.

“If I wanted to kill you, wood elf, I would have.” Taellan responded, lying on the ground with his back facing her. “But I couldn’t before… so I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”

Rikkuu eyed Taellan curiously, shrugging. She lay back on the ground and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep.  

[Clouds_Lover]

Ch4-

Rikkuu rose from her rest an hour before sunrise. The sky to the east was just beginning to lighten, and she watched the growing light for a moment. Yawning and stretching, she surveyed the camp.

The fire had died sometime during the night, leaving a pile of ash and embers behind. She looked where the necromancer had been laying, but only a slight indentation in the foliage marked his presence. He must have risen before her.

Glancing at the ground, she noticed that the pile of berries and roots that she had left for Taellan were gone. Rikkuu grinned – the stubborn necromancer had eaten them after all.

Gathering her bow and arrows, Rikkuu headed off into the forest, intending to find food that the necromancer might find more pleasing. Maybe she could force him out of his grumpiness.

Slipping through the trees without a noise, Rikkuu’s keen eyes searched for any signs of wildlife. Her ears pricked up at the sound of something moving through the trees to her left. She slid her bow from the harness on her back and readied an arrow.

Rikkuu stalked towards the creature noiselessly. As her eyes probed the dense foliage, she saw movement in front of her. She saw that the creature was a small deer. Drawing her bow, she whispered a small prayer to Tunare and aimed. Her bowstring made a twanging sound as the arrow was released.

Her aim was true; the deer fell to the ground. She walked over to the body and whispered another prayer, asking Tunare for forgiveness for killing an animal. She picked up the deer and hoisted it over her shoulder, easily able to bear its weight.

Rikkuu hummed a small tune to herself as she headed towards the camp. She decided to stop at a nearby lake that she had noticed earlier to get a drink. She altered her course a little so that she would pass by the lake.

Nearing the lake, Rikkuu heard small splashing sounds coming from the water. She approached the edge of trees that bordered the lake, and looked into the small clearing that housed it. She spotted the dark elf sitting at the edge of the water, his back to her. He was busy working on something, but she was unable to tell what it was that he was doing.

Setting the deer down silently at the edge of the forest, Rikkuu began to sneak towards the necromancer. She came to within a few steps of Taellan, and peered over his shoulder. He seemed to be washing the large bloodstain out of his robe.

Rikkuu took advantage of her position to inspect the necromancer’s bandages. They didn’t need changing, but she knew that she needed to inspect the wound for any signs of infection. Grinning, she tugged at the knot holding the bandages in place.

The necromancer jumped, startled. He spun to look at the ranger, trying to regain his composure. His eyes slowly narrowed. “Spying on me, wood elf?” he snapped.

Rikkuu smiled sweetly at him, staying silent. The necromancer’s anger faded, but he continued to glare at her.

“Just thought I’d take a peek at that wound of yours, and since you’re such a grump I knew you wouldn’t let me if I asked.” She told him.

Taellan sighed and sat down again, facing the water. “There you go, wood elf.” He said reluctantly.

Rikkuu bent down and slowly unwrapped the bandages on Taellan’s back. Looking at the wound, she gasped.

Taellan turned to look at her, a questioning look on his face. Rikkuu cast her eyes to the ground, not daring to meet his gaze.

“What is it, wood elf?” he asked, anxious.

“It’s… it’s not good, Taellan…” she responded, eyes glued to the ground.

Taellan grunted. “How bad is it?” he asked.

Rikkuu glanced again at Taellan’s back. The flesh around the wound was swollen and had a yellowish tinge. Puss oozed slowly from the raw opening. Somehow the wound had become infected. Watching her face, Taellan saw the answer to his question.

“I need to clean this again, Taellan.” She told him worriedly, expecting an argument. Taellan stayed silent for a moment.

“Do what you must.” He finally responded.

Rikkuu bent over the lake, cupping her hands in the water. She brought the water to the necromancer and slowly trickled it over the wound. The muscles in Taellan’s back tensed as the cold water slid downwards.

Rikkuu waited to hear his complaints, but Taellan seemed to be lost in thought. She retrieved another handful of water from the lake and gently cleansed the dark elf’s wound. Again the necromancer said nothing.

Rikkuu looked closely at the now infected opening in Taellan’s back. She saw that only the outer edge of the wound was infected. She chewed her lip nervously, knowing that if it went any deeper, the necromancer was doomed.

She finished cleaning the wound and carefully replaced the bandages. She sat next to the necromancer and watched him pull his robe out of the water. He inspected it for a moment, and then tossed it on the ground behind him.

Sighing, Taellan looked up at the sky, watching the sun finish rising above the horizon. He cast a sidelong glance at the ranger. Rikkuu watched him sadly.

“Well…” he began. “I guess I should thank you… Rikkuu… for all you’ve done to help me.” He fumbled with the words. Rikkuu’s eyebrows shot upwards.

Taellan slowly felt the bandages above his back, wincing slightly. He looked at Rikkuu and smiled cynically.

Rikkuu stared into the placid waters of the lake, her mind racing. She had heard tales from her comrades of infections that spread so quickly that they killed within a day of being noticed.

She hesitated a moment before answering. “I… I don’t know how to help… I’ve never treated an infected wound before…”

Taellan grunted, contemplating his options. An idea formed in his mind. “Ever cauterized a wound before?” he asked.

“Cauterized?” The ranger asked. Sighing, Taellan explained the process to her. The ranger turned pale.

“No… I’ve never heard of that before.” Rikkuu explained. “We wood elves usually have our druids cure any infections.”

“Well, I haven’t always had a cleric around when I need one… so I’ve had to use other methods to save the lives of my companions.” Taellan said. “Let’s head back to the camp.”

Rikkuu nodded, remembering the deer she had left at the edge of the woods. She went and retrieved it, noticing the look of hunger on Taellan’s face when he saw it.

“Uh… is that… for eating?” he questioned, hopeful. Rikkuu nodded at him.

They both walked back to the camp in silence. When they arrived, Taellan gathered some firewood and ignited it with the same spell he had used before. Drawing her dagger, Rikkuu quickly carved the deer up into edible portions.

“Bet you’re hungry, huh?” the ranger asked, her back to the necromancer. She didn’t get a response. Glancing over at him, she saw that he was staring into the fire, a glazed look in his eyes. “Taellan?” she asked.

He glanced up slowly and looked at her. A bead of sweat ran down his temple. He nodded at her, a strange expression on his face. Dropping her dagger, Rikkuu ran over to him, placing a cool hand on his forehead. He was burning with fever.

“Hmm… Rikkuu…” the necromancer droned. “I think we should get this over with…” He drew his dagger and tossed it into the fire. “The handle is fire resistant. Once the blade is red hot, pull it out of the fire, and press it against my wound.”

Taellan had used this technique to cleanse the infected injuries of his companions when a cleric wasn’t available. The red hot blade burned away any infected tissue, and also sealed any open wounds. It wasn’t always an effective method, but it was better than nothing.

Taellan carefully unwound the bandages from around his midsection, laying them on the ground. Rikkuu watched him carefully, trying to determine if his condition was worsening.

More sweat trickled down the necromancer’s forehead, and his eyes continued to look glazed.

Sighing, Rikkuu looked into the fire. She saw that the blade had become red hot… it was ready. She dragged the blade out of the fire, grasping the handle carefully. The handle was cool to the touch, even though the blade was blisteringly hot. She glanced again at the necromancer, who fidgeted slightly. His eyes never strayed from the dagger.

Rikkuu walked over to Taellan, holding the dagger in front of her. The dark elf sat still, fidgeting slightly. “Just get it over with, Rikkuu” he said slowly.

Rikkuu circled around behind him, sitting down. She extended the blade towards his festering wound. She hesitated briefly, the blade poised over his back. Taellan shifted slightly, impatient. Rikkuu brought the bright red blade down, touching it to the wound.

Taellan took a sharp intake of breath as the flesh on his back sizzled. The muscles in his back and chest rippled as he tensed. The infected tissue seared to a black color, smoke curling in the air. Taellan’s hands clenched into fists, the tendons in his shoulders protruding obtrusely.

Rikkuu moved the blade slowly over Taellan’s back, making sure to touch it to every area of the wound. The smell of burning flesh invaded her senses, and bile welled up in her stomach.

Taellan bit down on his lip, drawing blood.

Rikkuu pulled the dagger away from the necromancer’s back. She tossed it to the ground as the dark elf trembled, trying to maintain his composure. Looking down at his back, Rikkuu saw that she had sealed the hole that the arrow had made with the heat of the blade.

“Are you okay, Taellan?” she asked tentatively. The dark elf didn’t respond. He shivered silently, his eyes shut tight. A look of concern on her face, she picked up the bandages again and started to gently wrap them around the necromancer’s midsection. The bandages lightly brushed the burn on Taellan’s back. He snarled in pain and leapt to his feet, whirling on the ranger.

Taellan’s eyes gleamed dangerously as he stared at the wood elf, seeming not to recognize her. Rikkuu crawled backwards away from the necromancer, fear in her eyes. They stared at one another for a moment until the necromancer’s eyes softened. He sat down slowly, hands still clenched.

“I’m fine, Rikkuu.” The necromancer said. “Or I’ll be fine soon, at least.” He continued to shiver, sweat beading on his face. “Can I ask a favor, Rikkuu?” He asked.

Again, Rikkuu was surprised. Taellan wasn’t the type to want help from anyone. “Sure, what can I do?” Rikkuu asked.

“Any way you could get me a drink of water?” The necromancer seemed ashamed at having to ask.

Rikkuu leapt to her feet. “Sure, I’ll be right back.” She said, sprinting off into the woods and leaving the necromancer sitting in the thick layer of leaves.

She darted quickly through the forest, headed towards the lake. Running at full speed, she slipped past the trees without a noise. She came upon the lake and looked up at the sky, noticing that the sun was directly overhead. Too much of the day had passed already… she and Taellan wouldn’t be exploring the cave today.

“We might not ever explore it if I can’t stop that infection.” Rikkuu thought.

She pulled out her pouch and dumped its contents on the bank of the pond. She swiftly filled the pouch with water from the lake, cinching the cord. She turned and raced back towards the camp with the pouch of water.

When she arrived at the camp, she saw that Taellan was lying on his side, facing the fire. She brought the pouch of water to him, and looked at his face. He was asleep, sweat creating a wet sheen over his body. He was shivering fitfully and grinding his teeth in his sleep. Rikkuu gently opened the necromancer’s mouth and poured in a trickle of water. The necromancer did not awaken. A worried look passed over Rikkuu’s face.

Looking around, she saw Taellan’s damp robe and gently wrapped it around him, hoping to cool him down. He seemed to relax slightly at the touch of the cold robe. Rikkuu began to pace back and forth, wondering how she could help the necromancer.

“If I can keep him cool and hydrated,” she thought, “then the fever might break.”

Deciding on this, she sat next to Taellan and gave him another drink of water. He stirred slightly and began muttering something in dark elvish. Rikkuu leaned closer to him to try and decipher what he was saying, but the words were unintelligible. Sighing worriedly, she leaned back and watched the dark elf sleep.

*************************

She walked through a dense forest, pushing back thick foliage that seemed to grab for her, entangling her feet and arms. She was lured by a wafting smell of smoke that drew her onward through the forest. Sensing a feeling of urgency, she began to move through the flora at a feverish pace.

Crashing through the underbrush, a clearing suddenly opened up before her, emanating an intense light. A consuming fire was the source of the light. It pierced her eyes, forcing tears to stream down her face. Try as she might, she could not avert her eyes. The fire drew the ranger towards its center, compelling her to walk to it. She approached the fire, sensing a figure in the heart of the flames.

The flames licked at her skin as she passed through them, but she felt no pain. Nearing the center, the figure took on the shape of the dark elf, standing calmly in the middle of the inferno. He watched as she walked towards him, his eyes boring into hers. She stopped in front of him, returning his gaze. He slowly began to raise his arm, extending his hand towards her and keeping his eyes locked onto hers. A questioning look on her face, she reached up to take his hand.

Rikkuu jumped from her sleep, startled. She looked wildly around her, the island seeming foreign to her groggy mind. Slowly, she regained recognition, and observed her surroundings.

Hanging overhead, the moon cast eerie shadows from the trees that surrounded the camp. Nocturnal creatures called to each other in the inky blackness of the night, filling the air with their shrieking cries. The campfire had died down, drowning the camp in darkness.

After giving her mind a moment to recover from her odd dream, Rikkuu probed the darkness for the necromancer. Her keen eyes saw him lying on the ground, right where he was before she had dozed off.

Whispering a small incantation, Rikkuu relit the fire. She knelt next to Taellan and gazed at him with a worried expression, noticing that he was shivering uncontrollably despite the sweat that still covered him. She gently tucked the robe around him, trying to keep him warm.

Rikkuu yawned and stretched, sitting on the ground next to the dark elf. She had spent the entire day making trips back and forth from the lake to the camp, caring for the dark elf and keeping him hydrated. Taellan’s condition hadn’t worsened over the course of the day, which she knew was a good sign. She gave him another drink of water.

Rubbing her eyes wearily, Rikkuu slowly laid down next to the necromancer, pressing her body against his. She hoped that the heat from her body would help to soothe the dark elf. She felt Taellan continue to shiver against her, but he did not seem to be in as much torment as before. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted into sleep.  

[Clouds_Lover]

Ch5-

Thoughts slowly drifted into Taellan’s mind, and he returned to consciousness. He allowed himself the comfort of lying down – his body weary from fighting the infection that had raged within it. He willed his eyes to open but his body seemed incapable of responding to the command. Completely relaxed, the dark elf began to notice warmth emanating from behind him. He felt a pressure against the small of his back and up along his shoulder.

As his mind began to return from its dormant state and function normally, the necromancer heard soft breathing directly behind his ear. Forcing his eyes to open, he saw the ranger’s arm draped around his shoulder. Lifting and turning his head, he observed the ranger, asleep, pressed against his back.

A strange mix of emotions whirled through the necromancer. He tried to rationalize and sort them out, but he could not wrap his mind around what he was feeling. Frustrated with himself, he started to get up.

Startled from her sleep, Rikkuu’s eyes snapped open. Taellan, sitting now, looked down at her, a pained look in his eyes. He looked like he was struggling with himself. The ranger’s cheeks turned a shade of crimson.

“You… You were freezing last night.” She stuttered. “I was just trying to keep you warm.” She glanced up at Taellan, noticing that he looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

A moment passed, a heavy silence smothering the camp. Rikkuu rose and rebuilt the fire, avoiding the gaze of the necromancer. She listened to the chirps and shrills of the birds as they began to awaken from their night of rest. She knew that the sun’s first rays would soon be filtering through the trees, illuminating the grey clearing.

Rikkuu prepared a meal from the deer that she had killed, and the two ate wordlessly, neither of them able to break the uneasy silence. Taellan, eating slowly, seethed at himself, angry that he had not been able to yell at the ranger when he had first awakened. He scowled. What was stopping him from yelling at her now? Nothing, he decided.

The dark elf looked up at the ranger, bitter words on his tongue. Noticing his glare, Rikkuu’s eyes met his. He opened his mouth to speak but his will faltered. He sat there a moment with his mouth half open.

“When are we going to explore this little cave of yours?” he managed to ask.

Rikkuu’s eyebrows arched. “Are you sure you’re up for that?” she asked, immediately regretting her words at the look of annoyance it evoked from Taellan.

“Of course I am” he snapped. “I wouldn’t have said anything otherwise.”

“But your back…” the ranger’s voice trailed off as she eyed his injury.

“Is fine.” He said, glowering. He didn’t tell the wood elf, but he seemed to have lost any sense of feeling in the area around the wound. Taellan guessed that this was due to nerve damage caused by the red hot blade.

“Obviously, the infection isn’t going to prove fatal.” He continued, shrugging. “So I’m not worried about it.”

“What makes dark elves so stubborn?” the ranger said, trying to break the tension. She was greeted with silence from the necromancer.

“Well, if you’re up for it,” Rikkuu went on, incredulous. “Then I guess we can go take a look at the cave today, though I really think we should wait a few more days… at least until you’re fully recovered.”

Standing and slowly stretching, Taellan responded. “I don’t plan on lying around this camp for any longer than necessary. I’d like to try and find out all that I can about this island to see what is preventing me from gating out. This cave seems to be the best place to start.”

Rikkuu saw that she was not going to be able to change the dark elf’s mind. Sighing, she picked up her bow and followed after the necromancer, trudging north through the woods.

****************

The two elves entered a small clearing in the woods, the ranger in front. She looked back at the necromancer with concern as he lost his footing. He was forced to catch himself on a tree. The dark elf was clearly in no shape to be doing anything stressful, but Taellan had shrugged off any attempts that Rikkuu had made to help him.

She watched as Taellan steadied himself. He took a deep breath and began to move toward her again. She had slowed her pace considerably, trying to move at a rate that Taellan would be able to keep up with.

Rikkuu stopped in the middle of the clearing and turned to face the dark elf, planting her hands on her hips. Taellan stopped and looked at her through weary eyes, a questioning look on his face.

“You need to rest, Taellan.” She said, looking determined. The dark elf, stubborn, arched his eyebrows at her.

“I know when I need to rest, Rikkuu, and now is not the time.” He said. “Lead the way, I’ll be fine.”

Frustrated, Rikkuu eyed the necromancer. His shoulders were slumped and he was breathing heavily, his body was still fatigued from the infection that it had staved off. An idea formed in her mind. She grinned.

“Well then, I’m tired, and I need to rest.” She said, plopping to the ground. Taellan looked down at her, scowling. Rikkuu smiled up at him innocently, watching the frustration that was visible on the necromancer’s face.

He continued to glare at her, knowing that it was useless. He didn’t know the way to the cave; he needed her to lead him there. He would have to put up with her antics.

Sighing, Taellan sat down across from the ranger, thankful for the rest despite his outward attitude. Every muscle in his body ached with fatigue, but he was determined not to show any weakness in front of the ranger.

Glancing up at her, he saw that she had lay down on the soft grass and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. He snorted in disbelief at the ranger’s ploy, even though he knew that she was doing it for his benefit. He was tired… and a small rest couldn’t hurt, he decided.

Lying down, Taellan closed his eyes. His breaths slowly grew even, and he drifted to sleep. Rikkuu, cracking an eye, observed that he was fast asleep. She got up and quietly stalked off into the woods in search of something edible.

*******************

Taellan was awakened by the sound of soft footsteps near his right. Opening his eyes, he saw Rikkuu walking out of the woods and back into the clearing, carrying vegetation in her hands. She smiled at the necromancer when she saw that he was awake.

“Well, look who decided to wake up!” she exclaimed, sitting down and setting her foraged food on the ground. “Just in time to eat, too,” She said, expecting an argument.

Taellan, sitting up, looked down at the food on the ground. It didn’t look appetizing, but he knew that there wouldn’t be anything else to eat. He took the share that the ranger offered to him without complaint.

“We’re especially lucky today.” The ranger continued. “I found some Marr Cherries,” she pointed to a red cherry that Taellan was about to put into his mouth. “Not only do they taste good, but they’re nutritious, too!” She seemed quite pleased with herself.

Taellan grunted and ate the cherry, staring blankly at the ranger as she described what she had found. The fruit left a sour taste in his mouth. His mind drifted into thought as the ranger droned on.

Rikkuu, noticing that the necromancer wasn’t paying attention, stopped talking. She resisted the urge to throw a cherry at him, and instead watched him. Noticing that she had stopped chattering, Taellan’s eyes snapped into focus.

“Something wrong?” he asked, returning her gaze. She watched him for another moment.

“Nope,” she finally responded, “just curious to know what you were thinking about.”

Taellan eyed her curiously, narrowing his eyes slightly. She stared back at him, her face giving no hint of a joke. Taellan stood up, irritated, and began walking north again. He did not bother to respond.

Rikkuu watched him walk away, a small grin on her face. She gathered the uneaten food and headed after him.

*******************

The two elves continued through the forest, the journey taking longer because of their slow pace. Rikkuu, frequently glancing back at the necromancer, knew that they were close to the ridge with the cave but she was afraid that Taellan would be too exhausted by the time they finally found it.

The trees around the elves suddenly gave way as they stepped from the forest into open sunlight. They looked upon a craggy ridge, bathed in light. The sun, directly overhead, illuminated the side of the ridge and the dark outline of the cave sharply contrasted with the brightly lit ground around it.

Taellan gauged the distance from where he stood to the mouth of the cave, noting the rocky, sloped terrain that he would have to cover. He saw the ranger looking worriedly at him, wondering if he would be able to make the climb. Before she could say anything, he set off towards the cave.

The arduous climb took the elves a considerable amount of time to complete. The sun, no longer directly overhead, cast distorted shadows of the two figures onto the face of the ridge.

The elves had completed the climb, taking the opportunity to catch their breath as they peered into the darkness of the cave.

“It sure is dark in there…” Rikkuu said, sounding worried. Taellan smirked. His eyes, used to the black corridors of Neriak, had adjusted quickly to the dark setting. The walls of the cave were illuminated in a purple light that would allow him to navigate it easily. The wood elf’s vision, however, was not as highly developed. She could only see faint outlines within the cave.

“Shall we?” the necromancer asked. Rikkuu looked uneasy at the thought of venturing into such a dark place.

“Don’t you have a torch, or something?” she responded, her voice shaking. Taellan’s eyes lit up with laughter. “Now now… we wouldn’t want to alert anything that’s hiding in there of our presence, would we?” he said. “You’ll be fine, I’ll lead the way.” He finished, stepping into the cave. Rikkuu hurried after him, lightly resting a hand on his shoulder to keep from becoming lost in the cave.

As he entered the lightless area, Taellan’s eyes adjusted again. He could now see the interior of the cave clearly; everything brightly bathed in a purple tinge. The ranger squinted ahead of her, seeing only faint outlines. Taellan walked slowly, wary of any traps he might come across or of any creatures he might awaken.

After a few minutes of walking across level ground, the cave began to slope downward. The elves were now traveling downward, descending into the depths of the island. They continued onward.

Rikkuu focused on the sound of the necromancer’s footsteps. An immeasurable amount of time had seemed to pass and she grew weary of squinting into the darkness, attempting to discern her surroundings. She instead thought of her brightly lit home, of the companions she had left behind. The necromancer stopped abruptly. Rikkuu, not paying attention, bumped into him. He grunted.

“What’s the fuss?” she asked, feeling compelled to whisper in such a setting. Taellan was silent. She sensed an intense anger begin to radiate from him. She repeated her question.

Taellan, frustrated, stared at a blank wall in front of him. He had led them to a dead end. “Nothing’s wrong.” he lied, staring at the wall. Rikkuu rolled her eyes. A heavy silence grew as the necromancer studied the wall. He noticed an odd looking crack…. He squinted at it.

The crack in the wall seemed out of place in this part of the cave, not seeming to be natural. Taellan’s hand disappeared into the sleeve of his robe and emerged with his dagger. He carefully set the blade into the widest area of the crack and began to pry at it.

Suddenly, the wall began to give away, emitting a loud, screeching sound as a section of the wall slid sideways. Rikkuu stumbled back, shocked at the deafening sound after so much silence. Taellan, triumphant, slid his dagger back into the recesses of his robe. He continued forward.

After a short tunnel, the cave opened into a wide chamber. Stalactites hung ominously from the ceiling, and the occasional drip of water could be heard echoing off of the walls. Taellan surveyed the area, describing what he saw to the ranger.

“It’s enormous… there are stalactites hanging everywhere… but the floor is perfectly smooth.” He said. “The walls are also smooth,” he continued, reaching out to touch the wall.

“I can make out another tunnel at the far side of the chamber, let’s go have a look.” The ranger nodded, staying unusually silent.

The necromancer crossed the chamber, Rikkuu following him closely. As he approached the tunnel, his steps slowed. His brow furrowed.

“Everything okay?” Rikkuu asked, noticing that Taellan had slowed his pace. After a moment of silence, the necromancer responded. “Well… the opening to this tunnel is definitely not natural. The walls are all at right angles to each other.” He continued walking, entering the tunnel. It only continued for a short distance, coming to an end at a flat wall.

Taellan stopped in front of the wall, noticing a slight groove on one side of it. He slid his fingers into it and pulled. The wall swung open silently, and a rush of cold air blew from the other side of the door.

Rikkuu, unable to see what was happening, gasped at the sudden sensation. She shivered violently, her spine tingling from the rush of air. A pungent odor assailed her nostrils; the smell of death wafting over the two elves. She choked slightly at the cloying scent.

A shrieking sound began to fill the air around the two figures, causing the ranger to whimper in horror. The sound pierced her ears, leaving her disoriented. She tried to peer into the darkness to locate the source of the horrible noise. She couldn’t see anything. Suddenly, the necromancer shoved her backward and she fell to the floor of the cave.

The necromancer yelled something unintelligible to her, fear straining his voice. She heard him begin to chant the words to a spell, his voice rising over the agonizing sound. The shrieking seemed to multiply in intensity as Taellan’s spell continued. The ranger lay on the ground and covered her ears, still straining to see into the blackness.

A bright flash of red light quickly illuminated the area. Rikkuu, glancing around, saw the necromancer standing almost directly over her. He was bathed in the red light, his face a mask of intensity as he completed the spell he was creating. She followed the necromancer’s eyes with hers and she spotted the target of his spell. She recoiled in horror.

Taellan focused on the spell as it finished, directing it toward the nearest source of the shrieking sound. He was unable to clearly identify the enemy, seeing it only as a white, luminescent figure. He didn’t intend to get close enough to accurately identify it.

The spell, a life tap, struck the figure, leeching its life. The necromancer felt a surge of power course through his veins as he sapped the life force of his enemy. His muscles, aching from the long journey to the cave, seemed revitalized. The shrieking stopped abruptly.

Taellan sighed, looking down at the ranger. She slowly uncovered her ears, looking frightened. The dark elf helped her to her feet, trying to reassure her. “It’s ok, it’s gone now… no reason to be upset.” He told her.

As he finished saying this, a new cacophony of shrieks filled the air. Taellan’s head snapped around, his eyes focusing on the hallway past the door. A mass of white figures were gliding quickly towards them. He swore, turning to the ranger. Tears streamed down her face, her hands once again glued to her ears. He screamed at her to run, turning her towards the entrance of the chamber and pushing her forward.

He watched her stumble off into the darkness. Satisfied with her progress, he turned to face the onslaught of enemies. The wailing sound dug into his mind, hampering the necromancer’s ability to think clearly. In a daze, the dark elf prepared a spell. Shouting arcane words, he reached into the depths of his robe and found the reagent he was looking for: bone chips. He tossed the fragments to the floor and they grew into the form of a spectre, shrouded in tattered black cloth.

The spectre recognized the source of danger and turned to face it, positioning itself in the doorway and blocking the enemies’ path. The necromancer turned to run, hearing the ranger shriek in the distance. He searched for the ranger, quickly scanning the chamber. He saw no sign of her. Taellan grew worried… she should have been easy to recognize!

He ran forward quickly, still scanning the area. He stopped abruptly, a wide hole seeming to open up before his feet. He peered at it, distinguishing it as a trap door. He swore again… the ranger, nearly blind, must have fallen down it. He turned again towards his spectre, watching it battle the torrent of enemies. He could clearly see them now… pale ghosts with mutilated, distorted visages.

Taellan weighed his options. He could either follow the ranger down the dark hole, or turn to fight the mass of enemies. Glancing at the hole again, he judged it to be too deep to safely jump down. Resolve etched on his face, the necromancer turned to face his enemies.  

[Katsumi Sakurai]

Why does it stop!!?? I have to know what happens next please!! It's really good I must know more!!  

[Clouds_Lover]

A Twilights Dawn

Why does it stop!!?? I have to know what happens next please!! It's really good I must know more!!

Lol it stopped because my friend and I lost contact and that I don't play EverQuest anymore so I forgot like....everything LOL. Sucks that it happened lol but yeah.  

[Katsumi Sakurai]

Clouds_Lover

A Twilights Dawn

Why does it stop!!?? I have to know what happens next please!! It's really good I must know more!!

Lol it stopped because my friend and I lost contact and that I don't play EverQuest anymore so I forgot like....everything LOL. Sucks that it happened lol but yeah.

No thats sucks, it's good I wish I could read more, it really is great story!!